“If she loved me, she wouldn’t ask me to make such a monkey of myself,” retorted Edward. “I did it once, and the people next door laughed at me. I heard them.”
“You shouldn’t care,” said the fair unknown severely. “You were entirely in the wrong.”
“As a matter of fact,” said Edward, “you were entirely in the wrong yourself, about that penny.”
“What?” said she.
She rose and faced him with flashing[Pg 232] eyes. Edward rose, too. His eyes did not flash, but they were steely. They regarded each other steadily, with magnificent pride.
Suddenly she began to laugh.
“I am glad,” said Edward, “that you find this amusing.”
“Oh, dear!” she said, sinking back into her chair. “Aren’t we pig-headed, both of us?”
“Kindly don’t—” Edward began, but she did not heed him.
“Oh! A penny—and a cat!”